Re-Ignition
by Keldvok
Summary: SteinMarie Band AU: Marie Mjolnir meets the strange man with a screw in his head after a night at the Ry'leh. Newest: Chapter 9: Alone
1. Re-Ignition

"Why are we here again Marie?" Azusa said from behind her dimly-lit spectacles; a dingy club like The R'lyeh was not where she wanted to spend her last night in Death City. "Because I don't want to have spent my whole time away from Oceania with my face in books, and a concert sounds like fun!" Marie said, trying to convey her feelings of excitement without shaking the poor girl unconscious.

As the band took the stage, she was surprised by the pale young man who came to the center, bass guitar slung around his waist. It looked to be about two sizes too big, and the screw through his head served to make Azusa snicker and remark, "He's way out of his league coming here. I'm not even a music fan, but the poor kid looks scared to death."

The show started, and Marie found herself loving every minute of the concert. It seemed that when the music started, a very different side of the kid came out to play. He was confident, almost snarling his way through the music. He would pick at the strings with an almost inhuman force, and she couldn't help but be in awe of his skill.

When the time came for the final song came however, she began to worry about what was happening on stage. They had brought out a prop version of an electric chair, and she saw the young man from earlier strap himself in, laughing as the band was building to a climax.

"Re-ignition" / "Re-ignition" the singer chanted, with an almost hypnotic pitch, and went over to flip the switch on the wall, previously hidden by the bassist who was now strapped to the chair. The chair came alive with coursing electricity, and Marie shrieked, horrified that they had just killed the young man that she had come to enjoy throughout the night. He played up his "demise" before sitting up in the chair with a crooked smile and a sinister laugh. Marie was thrilled at how clever this was and exclaimed, "THAT WAS AWESOME AZUSA! WE HAVE TO SEE HIM AFTER THE SHOW!"

Not usually one to agree with Marie, even Azusa had to admit; it was clever. She motioned over to one of the people guarding the backstage, and handed them a generous "tip" so that they could meet the strange man with the screw in his head after the show.

The pale kid was seated alone backstage, smoking a cigarette, and wishing that he had somewhere else to be. While the other bandmates were happy to spend their nights trying to find "groupies," this meant very little to him, so he sat alone.

"Those things will kill you" Azusa remarked, hoping that she could catch the kid off guard and put the conversation on her friend's terms, rather than allow his confidence to push her away without a conversation.

"I know, but they help me think" he said coldly, before taking another puff of his cheap cigarette, hoping that one day he could afford a better brand that didn't taste of nuclear waste that he kept in his lab at home.

"I really loved you playing tonight, and I was hoping that you could tell me your name. I have to go back to Oceania tomorrow, but when I come back, I want to see you again. Is that okay?"

"Stein. My name is Franken Stein."


	2. Shackler's Revenge

Shackler's Revenge

The R'lyeh hadn't changed much in the twenty years that passed since Marie Mjolnir had first met Franken Stein behind the dimly lit stage that played host to his band. The bricks, while faded, had taken on a natural and earthy red hue, and the dimly light sign was almost covered by the vines that surrounded the building. Times were tough in Death City, and everybody and everything was feeling the effects of it.

"Well, guess I should stay here tonight. At least there are people instead of test tubes," Stein said, hoping that anyone in earshot would care to hear him and keep him interested in life that didn't get dissected for research. The band playing held a familiar face to Stein; a beautiful woman who Stein had cared for, before he had discovered that she was experimenting on her child while they were helpless to defend themselves. Stein's call to Protective Services allowed him to sleep better at night, but Medusa was furious, vowing that she would have her revenge, in this life or the next.

He never knew why she wasn't locked away but he assumed bribes were involved. As for the child, they were sent into the foster system, where they had remained for over ten long years. Stein felt terrible about it, but he knew better, He wasn't fit to care for a child.

He began to light his cigarette, but heard a familiar song coming from onstage:

"Don't ever try to tell me/How much you care for me"

"Don't ever try to tell me/How you were there for me"

The words rang in his ears, as they were no doubt intended for him. Medusa continued to amplify the aggression in her voice, the words dripping like venom from her lips. She had locked eyes with Franken, and she had no intentions of letting him leave tonight unaffected by what she sang. He slumped in his chair, ashamed of what he had put her through, but more ashamed of himself that she could reduce him to such a state so easily.

"Marie, wait up! You're going too fast, are you trying to get run over?" Azusa shrieked as she was dragged through the streets by Marie's earnest endeavors. "I've waited twenty years to come back here, I'm not going to wait a second longer!"

As she arrived at the R'lyeh however, the smile disappeared from her face. Inside she saw the man she knew as Franken Stein slouched in his seat, almost on the verge of tears.

He hadn't shaved recently, due to his desire to not put a razor near his face, for fear of what his thoughts would tell him to do. His bearded face had an exasperated look, as Medusa sang on throughout the night, trying to break him down through words instead of swords.

Marie, however noticed the serpentine smile on Medusa's face as Stein began to well up with tears, and quickly made her way to the rear of the building. "What are you doing Marie?" Azusa asked, hoping that the answer wasn't going to be "Kicking the singer on stage's ass."

"We're pulling the plug on this little performance. The club looks like it could use a little change of pace." Quickly, she reached for a nearby hammer, and brought a thundering blow down on the P.A. system, causing Medusa's performance to be cut short. From backstage, she could hear a flurry of obscenities and Medusa hissing to her roadie. "Eruka! Get my stuff, we're leaving!" she spat, as she headed for the door. "Have a nice night, Franken." she whispered as she touched Stein's shoulder and headed out into the night.

Backstage, Marie was ecstatic with her success. "Yes! I knew that would work! One and done, baby!" Azusa was less than thrilled however. The first words to come to her mind were; "This is going to cost us a fair amount of money Marie" and "Are you sure you can pay it?" However, she merely sighed and said "I'm happy for you, Marie. Now go see him. He looks like he could use a smile."

As she made her way back to the bar, Franken had finally decided to look up, now that Medusa had left and he could be alone with his thoughts. As he looked up, his face turned from one of sadness into one of complete surprise.

"Marie?"


	3. Paradise By The Dashboard Light

"Yes, Franken, it's me." Marie smiled and sat next to the lanky man at the bar. The years had gone by, but Marie had never forgotten about the young man with the screw through his head. He was cold, sure, but there was something there that Marie just couldn't keep her mind off of.

"What are you doing here?" Stein wryly asked, hoping to hear more about the woman who sat beside him in the same club they had been at all those years ago. Marie looked into his eyes and said "I made a promise, Franken, that I would come back and see you when I could. Life got in the way, but I knew I'd make it back here." Curious to see how he had been, Marie mentioned carefully "Wanna get a drink and catch up? I'm buying."

"Absolutely," Stein replied, before ordering a Jack and Coke. "So where's your friend? I thought I saw her here earlier, but I couldn't be sure," Stein inquired, hoping to start the conversation while remaining reserved about his thoughts on Marie.

"Oh, Azusa? She headed out after that witch of a singer stormed off in a huff. She said something about a headache, and she's never really been the party type," Marie replied, half telling the truth. It was less relevant that earlier, Azusa had said, "I don't need to be here for what comes next Marie, and besides, if I want to watch corny romance, I can find it on over 400 TV channels." While Marie half-scowled at the remark, she had to admit Azusa was right; she would make things awkward on a night that she planned to reunite with Stein. Marie thanked Azusa and hugged her tightly, causing Asuza to remark, "Thanks, but I would like my ribs intact please. I'll see you tomorrow. Good luck." Azusa headed out the back door, going to the hotel room that they had rented for their "Vacation."

"So how about you, Stein? Still in that band of yours? They were so good!"

Stein sighed and remarked, "Unfortunately, music just didn't pay the bills. I've got a decent job, but my home is nothing luxurious."

"Oh, really? What do you do for a living, work at the Halloween store?" Realizing her mistake, she quickly said, "I didn't mean it like that, but your style has always been. . .unique, and I'm not sure where you would even work if asked."

"I'm a pharmacist, actually. Nothing big, but it pays the bills," Stein replied, without a hint of malice in his voice. Picking up his drink, he took a swig and remarked, "Still better than Spirit, he has to teach children all night; I don't know if I could deal with Chemistry lectures."

"Spirit? Who's that?" Marie asked, wondering if this was someone she could trust, or if this "Spirit" was someone that Stein didn't care for.

"Oh, he's an old friend of mine. You've seen him before actually. Remember the guitarist with the red hair? That's Spirit. He's been like a brother to me, even though we've fought a lot. I have to respect a guy that spends his nights teaching and his mornings taking care of his daughter. She's a real livewire, and takes after her mother."

"Oh, good to know," Marie said, glad that he had people who cared about him, especially after she saw how Medusa behaved on stage earlier.

Starting to feel the alcohol talking, she said "There's a jukebox over there, and I could use some fun. Wanna dance?"

Taking hold of his hand, Marie led him to the jukebox and put on a familiar tune from her youth, hoping that he would enjoy. Clumsily putting his hand around her waist, they began to rock back and forth as the music began to play:

 _And now our bodies are, oh, so close and tight/It never felt so good, it never felt so right And we're glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife/Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife/C'mon, hold on tight/C'mon, hold on tight_

Beginning to take the lead, Stein started to sway in time with the rhythm, hoping that Marie was enjoying the movement as much as he was. Everything from her golden hair reflecting the stage lights, to the warmth of her body against him made Stein ecstatic to be with her every second he could. In the dimly lit club R'lyeh, Stein and Marie had been reunited, and nothing was going to stop them from enjoying the night together; they began to lose track of time, not realizing how late it had gotten, so it came as a surprise to them when closing time had come at last.

"It's two in the morning, and as much as you lovebirds would like to stay here all night, it's time to go. Have a good one!" The bartender said with a hearty laugh, ushering them towards the door. Stein gathered his coat, and wrapping it around Marie, headed for the exit.

Outside, Marie said to Stein, "Well, it's been fun, but I've got to get back to the hotel."

Stein, still in control of his faculties despite the alcohol, offered "Marie, the hotel is miles from here, and neither of us should be driving. My house is just down the street if you want to spend the night."

"That'd be perfect, Franken."


	4. (Just Like) Starting Over

"Hey Stein? You in there? You've been asleep half the day," Spirit said as he stood outside the door of his friend's laboratory, which operated as a makeshift home.

Stein had never done particularly well at making acquaintances, which made his opportunities to increase his connections and conversely, his pay, slim. The lab showed signs of disrepair, even after Spirit had come over and helped him fix up the place up over the years.

Spirit was the one to come up with the nickname "Patchwork Labs," as a slight against the state of the almost hauntingly spacious building, but Stein just gave a hearty laugh and said "Spirit, and I thought I was the mad genius. That's brilliant."

"And who might you be?" the woman from behind Spirit inquired. "I've never seen you before, and I think I would like to know who is deciding to try and see my friend at this hour. She's been out all night, and I doubt she'd want to see the likes of you this morning."

"First of all, it's not morning," Spirit replied with a scowl on his face. "Second of all, why do you think she's here? This is my friend's lab, not some half-way house for people who couldn't finish a bar crawl."

"I have her phone tracked by GPS," Azusa retorted; "It's the only way I can keep up with her. She's far too fast to keep up with, so I have to have my eyes everywhere instead."

"What a great idea! I'll have to look into it myself," Spirit replied, admitting that her idea, while invasive, was a good one if he wanted to keep his Maka safe as best as he could.

Seeing that she had taken him off guard, Azusa began to deride him for his callousness: "As for you, don't you have anything better to do with your time? Like finding someone else to bother and annoy?"

"Not really. My wonderful Maka is already at school, and I work at night."

As Azusa began to open her mouth and apologize, Spirit's pupils began to dilate as he saw the door open. In the doorway stood a beautiful woman with golden hair, only wrapped in what appeared to be his best friends' lab coat.

"Hey. Spirit, right? From the band Stein was in?"

"Yeah. That was a long time ago. Those were the days," Spirit replied, hoping that some part of him from those times still remained over twenty years later.

"Wanna come on in?" Marie said, inviting them into the lab. "Stein said you would most likely come over today, although he did say it half-asleep. You too Azusa, thanks for coming with him, it means a lot to me."

"I was not with him! I was coming for you," Azusa replied, annoyed at the insinuation that she would come looking for Marie with someone so hopelessly unprepared.

Spirit, however, wasn't even sure what to say. His mind raced through every possible outcome that ended with Stein and a woman like the one he saw before him sharing a room together, let alone the night. "Sure. Might as well," he said, desperately hoping to figure out just what had happened the night before.

Once inside, Azusa saw the man she knew as Franken Stein stretched out on a pullout couch two sizes too small for him, his legs almost touching the floor on the other side. "Really Marie, he still smokes? What a disgusting habit," she remarked, seeing the partially lit cigarette in his mouth.

"I know, but they help me think," Stein remarked, causing Azusa to lurch back across the room, startled at his now-awake reply.

"So you've met Spirit," Stein said, hoping to speed along introductions without sounding too crude. "Marie, Spirit. Spirit, Marie. Hope that settles the formalities." The bluntness of the introductions surprised even Spirit.

"Stein, you can be such a monster when you're tired," Spirit said, before receiving a harsh glance from Azusa, who pushed up her glasses as if to block out what she perceived as raging stupidity.

Looking to figure out what Spirit and Azusa wanted, Stein inquired, albeit a bit abruptly; "So, what brings you two to my lab? Can't you see we are doing just fine this afternoon?"

"I can certainly see that," Spirit replied, glancing over at Marie, still wrapped in Stein's coat. "Looks like you've had a Hard Day's Night, Doctor Stein."

Understanding what Spirit had implied, Marie was livid. "That's what you think this is? You think I'm some sort of floozy that stumbles out the door at your local Chupa Cabra's, Spirit?" Marie shouted, her voice hoarse from the night before.

"Marie's right, Spirit. She just got out of the shower and she didn't have a spare set of clothes, so I lent her my lab coat. Simple as that," Stein added, lending credence to Marie's words.

"But my question remains. Why are you two here?" Stein countered, hoping to understand why they were in his lab, interrupting his time off.

"Well, Stein. I have some news for you," Spirit replied. "How would you like to give up that awful job down at the H.P.? There's an opening for a Science teacher, and I'm sure you could get the job."

Stein leaned forward in his chair, and contemplated what Spirit had offered; here was a chance to finally make more than the measly sum that he was earning at the H.P.

However, he had to consider the responsibilities that would come with the job: this wouldn't be easy for someone like Stein, who preferred the company of his swivel chair to the company of students.

He took a drag of his freshly lit cigarette and responded, "Sure, I'll give it a try. I can always go back to filling prescriptions if it doesn't work out."

"Oh! That sounds like so much fun for you! You would be great as a teacher!" Marie said, ecstatic at this turn of events.

Really, Marie? Mr. Screw-In-The-Head as a teacher? He'd be more of a Halloween decoration than a science teacher," Azusa responded curtly.

While he certainly would perform adequately as a teacher, Azusa had no intentions on letting Stein's ego inflate when it appeared that there was more to the night before than Marie or Stein was letting on.

"It'll be fine, Azusa. He's a smart guy, even if he looks like he has a hole in his head," Spirit said with a chuckle. While Stein probably wouldn't be amused by the joke, Spirit hoped that he could lighten the mood in the room, and encourage Stein at the same time.

Stein, emboldened by this new opportunity, spoke up. "Thanks for stopping over everybody, but I must really get back to my studies if I intend to take on this new job. Marie, I'm sure I'll see you around, but could you and Azusa take Spirit somewhere away from here? He'd stay all night if I let him, and he needs to be with his daughter, who no doubt is waiting for him at school because he can't keep track of time."

A sly smile approached his lips as he continued; "It's been two hours Spirit. School gets out at four. You really should get going."

Spirit, realizing how much time had passed, said with a pitch that was almost inhuman, "WHAT! FOUR! I HAVE TO GO RIGHT NOW! COME ON EVERYBODY, LET'S LEAVE THE GOOD DOCTOR ALONE! SEEYA STEIN!"

Quickly gathering up his things, he rushed them out the door and shut it behind them, glad to see that his idea for Stein had potential.

When they had left, Stein got out of his chair and moved towards the bookshelf, which was covered in dust from years of disuse. Dusting off one of his old textbooks, he chuckled and said to himself, "Huh. Just like starting over" before sitting down to prepare himself for the next chapter in his life.


	5. On The Backs Of Angels

"Alright, Franken. Stay calm. It'll be okay. The first day is hard on everybody." The mantra played over and over in Stein's head, and he figured he would need it. He tried to imagine it Marie saying it to him, but the only voice he heard was his own, and it brought him little comfort.

His lack of experience in teaching was only outweighed by his intellect, and he considered himself very lucky to be taking advantage of the school's need for additional teachers; with the knowledge that he would be taking teaching courses to get himself up to speed.

Stein had done his best to be ready; in prior planning for this day, he bought a chair identical to the one in use at his lab, thinking that if he was going to be spending serious time here, he might as well do it in comfort.

As he sat down at his desk, the familiar voice of Spirit Albarn called out to him from the door of the classroom:

"Hey, Stein. It's good to see you here!" Spirit said, with a smile on his face. "Knock em dead today, you hear me? Just not literally," Spirit quipped, poking fun at his friend's typically morbid personality.

"Hey Spirit. Thanks for coming by, but if I wanted to kill my students, I would just have them listen to your jokes," Stein said with a hearty laugh. He said to his friend in the doorway, "I'll talk to you later, and tell you how it went. See you around, Albarn."

As Spirit turned to leave, Stein remarked: "I have a quick question Mr. Albarn. Where is your daughter? Doesn't she have classes today as well?"

"OH NO! I rushed here to wish you luck, and left Maka at home. I gotta go, SEE YOU LATER!" Spirit said, and ran out in a panic.

Stein chuckled and said to himself, "Some things never change, do they?"

As the day went on, the clock hands seemed to torment Stein as they moved at an agonizingly slow pace. Although he was confident in his knowledge, he could feel the eyes of his students moving away from him, and towards the door that promised them freedom from his class.

It felt almost too familiar, as Stein began to get lost in his thoughts of days gone by:

"No one wants you here, Franken. This little shock shtick of yours has grown old, and so have you. Look at the measly audience here tonight. If it wasn't for Spirit, I doubt you'd be here either. He always is the optimist, even when logic tells him otherwise. I'd have no patience for him."

Stein tried to stammer out a response, but Medusa seemed to have a hypnotic control over his mouth:

"But, Medusa….."

"No, Franken. This is just pathetic. You should give this up now, before you both end up homeless, and that's if you're extremely lucky….."

"Hey Professor! Are you okay? You've been staring at the same slide for five minutes," the redhead in the back row exclaimed, snapping Stein out of his memories and back into reality.

"Oh. Sorry, Dana. Thank you, I was just getting back to what I was saying earlier."

Stein reached into his pockets, and procured both a cigarette and a lighter, and began to inhale deeply, hoping to concentrate on his notes so he could finish the class.

"You see, as Isaac Newton once said, we are standing on the shoulders of giants. Allow me to expand on that. In my opinion, we are standing on the backs of angels. We have been given flights previously thought unimaginable, and have been graced with the abilities that our species could not even comprehend mere centuries ago. If you take anything away from my rambling, know this: There has never been a better time to be a scientist, and there has never been a better time to be alive. For all of the bad things that happen in our life, there is hope for us in our pursuit of knowledge, and I hope to instill that fact in you as we continue on in this class."

As he spoke, he felt that his words rang hollow. Here he was, speaking grandiose about their purpose in life, as he remembered his failures and the loneliness of being a man without an audience; a man of sorrows, a leper messiah.

But still, he would not be deterred. He would fight through it, and hope to leave others feeling better than he did. He continued his lecture:

"If any one of you takes these lessons to heart, then I have done my job. We'll continue our discussion of Newton tomorrow. Have a good day."

As he went to pack up his things and head back to the lab, he was approached by Dana, who wished to speak with him after the class.

"Mr. Stein, I really enjoyed the class, and I'm looking forward to having you as my teacher."

Stein tried his best to hold back a smile, but he chuckled and said "Why, thank you Mrs. Shirefield, but that's not set in stone yet. Also, don't think this is going to be an easy class. I've written some very tough questions for the test, and this isn't going to be the class where I hand out grades because it's my first time."

Dana slammed her stack of notes on the desk, and said "I wouldn't have it any other way. Bring it on."

Stein flashed a sadistic grin. "I look forward to seeing your work, Mrs. Shirefield. You've got the right attitude for this class, and if you keep it up, you will do well."

After she had left the classroom, he returned to gathering his things and going to his lab. He chose to walk there, as he felt he could use the exercise; endless nights of pasta had served to hurt his physique.

As he walked through the dimly lit streets, he couldn't help but think about what Medusa had said all those years ago; while he knew that she was simply looking out for him at the time, he couldn't help but think she had an ulterior motive.

It didn't matter now, but after CPS took away her child, he couldn't stop thinking about them being left in the foster system with no one to look out for them. Now he wondered what became of them, and if they ever were able to escape the looming shadows of whatever Medusa had done to them.

As he pondered these things, his phone began to ring. Marie was calling, so he decided to answer it.

"Franken Stein, how may I help you?"

"Oh come on, Franken. You know it's me."

"I know, I just wanted to have a little fun."

"Oh, there will be plenty of time for that. Up for dinner tonight? I wanted to tell you something exciting, but I need to do it in person."

Stein rubbed his temples, and thought to himself, _Well, I've got nothing better to do, and I certainly am hungry. Who knew teaching kids would prove so exhausting?_

He replied, "Sure, just send me the address."

"REALLY! OH THIS IS GOING TO BE PERFECT! THANK YOU!" Marie screeched into the phone

"Yep, see you when I get there."

As he hung up the phone, a lone thought appeared in his head: _What on earth have I gotten myself into?_


	6. Unwell

Finding the location of the restaurant was hard enough for Stein; dealing with the hostess was quite another. He looked spuriously at the nametag, and thought to himself:

 _Blair. Interesting name, with Scottish Gaelic origins. I wonder what her family must have been like during…_

With Stein having appeared to stare too long at her chest unintentionally, Blair raised her voice in agitation.

"Hey, do you have reservations or what? I don't get paid to give peep-shows to creeps."

Realizing what he had done, Stein fumbled around before saying "Well, my friend does. Blonde woman, about yea high?"

He lowered his hand in an effort to convey the height of Marie.

"Oh, her? Right this way, she's at the end. I'll be your server for tonight."

 _Fantastic. As if this couldn't get any more awkward. First I spend half the night finding the damn place, then this purple-haired woman thinks I'm some type of pervert. And now's she's going to be serving us?_ Stein thought, considering praying to whatever god he could for the sweet release of death.

* * *

Approaching the table, Stein looked down and saw an indignant Marie, arms folded around her waist. Sliding into the booth, he began to peruse the menu, as Marie spoke up; "What took you so long?" Sighing, he looked at her and said, "I couldn't find the damn place."

Puzzled by his comment, she asked "In this city? You live here, not me."

"I don't go out much. It's usually food coming to me, not the other way around."

"Why is that?"

"Nothing better to do, really. I'm usually doing work or eating."

Furrowing her brow, she decided to change the subject. She began to mutter, "So, I wanted to talk to you about something important."

Stein, taking his eyes off of the menu, fixed them intently on Marie, wondering what she could be talking about. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Well…I….."

As she approached the table, Blair began to rattle off the script that Joe required she memorize for the job at a breakneck pace.

"So, who's ready to order? I'm sure you'll love what we have to offer here at Pumpkin Pizza!" "If you try our new dinner special, you get free refills on all of our Infinite Appetizers! If you want, you can even…."

Stein stood up and turned around to face the rambling waitress.

Marie gasped. "Franken!"

Looking her in the eye, Stein sighed.

"Just a second. This won't take long. It's Blair, right?"

"Yep!"

"We'll be a minute. I'll be happy to put on my Happy Customer face in a few, but until then, give us some space."

Blair pouted. "All right. No need to be an ass, mister."

Marie glared at Stein as he talked with Blair and thought to herself: _how does he do that? Better yet, why does he do that? It doesn't add up. One minute he's stone cold, and a second later, he'll turn around and have a smile on his face when he talks to me._

* * *

Slinking back into his seat, Stein crossed his hands on the wooden tabletop. "Now that that little bit of unpleasantness…"

He cast a derisive look at Blair as she walked away.

"…..has been taken care of, what's on your mind?" Stein asked, looking at Marie inquisitively.

"Well, Azusa and I aren't just here on vacation."

"Is that so?" Stein said, pushing his glasses into his forehead.

"Yeah. We came here looking for jobs. I've heard there was some good places to work around here, and thought you might know where to look"

"Well, what are you good at? Any fields that you could get into?"

Marie shrugged. "Well, I have some veterinarian experience, but I would have to be an assistant, because I couldn't afford to get a degree."

"I get it. Times are tough, but I think I know someone. She's not very fond of me, but she's smart. Tell you what, I'll give her a call when we're done here, and try to get her to see you in the morning."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Sure. I don't have to have her approval in order to help you out. She just needs to like you, and I think you'd fit right in."

"Thanks so much Stein! Now, what should we get?"

Stein jokingly whistled back to the front of the store. "Hey Blair! We're ready now."

She approached them with a scowl on her face and a hateful gleam in her eye.

"What'll it be?"

"We'll have the spaghetti to go. It's getting late, and I don't wanna keep us here too long. She's got an important day tomorrow."

Picking up their meal, they began to leave the restaurant. As they were walking out the door, Stein slid a 100$ bill to Blair and muttered "I'm not crazy…I'm just a little unwell…."

* * *

As the doors closed behind Stein and Marie, Blair thought to herself: _What a strange night. Marie Mjolnir, from Oceania, here? With this loser? What the hell is going on?_

She rubbed her temples, and removed her phone from her back pocket.

"Not you, not you, not you," she said, with frustration in her voice, as she began to scroll through her contacts list.

Upon finding what she was looking for, Blair's eyes flashed with a golden gleam.

"Oh, here we go! Mizune Media."

She relaxed in her chair, chewing on a nearby pencil with impish glee.

"Mizune Media, how can I help you?"

Blair grinned, her smile wrapping around her face.

"Oh, do I have a story for you."


	7. Walking on Sunshine

For someone who never got more than three hours of sleep a night, Stein was surprisingly wide awake. He couldn't tell if the smell of antiseptic was to blame, or if Marie's blaring of "Walking On Sunshine" was the culprit.

Stein shifted from his seat after his name was called by the receptionist, but paused to take the earphone he was sharing with Marie out. As she began to wind the headphones back up to put away, he whispered softly into her ear "I'll make this quick. I think you're gonna like working here."

"Thanks, Stein. Any brilliant ideas on something for Azusa yet? She's hard to pin down sometime," Marie said with a mixture of laughter and concern in her voice.

As Stein began to walk away, he began to smile, and with a sense of irony, said to himself, "I think I know just the thing."

* * *

Walking down the hallways colored by the cherry red walls, he tried to remind himself of what Spirit had told him earlier in the morning:

"Stein, when trying to get someone else a job, it's probably a good idea to say as little as possible, especially when the woman you're talking to can't stand your smug attitude."

"I'll try to keep that in mind."

The smile disappeared from Spirit's face, replaced by a seriousness that even Stein found out of character.

"You better. Clearly this means a lot to her, and if that's the case, you're gonna need to refrain from being the smartass that the good doctor knows you for."

"Got it. Thanks, Spirit."

As he approached the pale office door, the woman's indignance began to display clearly on her face as she exited the room.

"Franken? What the hell are you doing here? And you brought her with you?"

 _Keep it together Franken, it's for Marie. Don't do anything stupid._

Stein pushed his glasses into his face, trying to keep himself under composure.

"Oh, good to see you too, Naigus. And what do you mean, "Her?" You don't even know her."

Naigus chuckled, her volume rising rapidly. "Not know Marie Mjolnir? What do you think I am, stupid?"

Stein cocked his head, but continued to focus his glare on Naigus.

"Excuse me? How do you know her?"

Naigus returned to her office, slouched in her chair, and pulled out her copy of one of the magazines that was strewn on the her desk.

"Ever read _Mizune Media_? They had a great piece on your girlfriend," she said with a dry humor that changed Stein's attitude from one of aggravation into one of bewilderment.

"What?"

"See for yourself. They didn't hold back on you either. Honestly, the fact that some people actually read this garbage is appalling."

* * *

Short and Sweet? Is Marie Mjolnir really back on the Dating Scene with the Patchwork Professor?

Is love in the air for Franken Stein? The silent scientist was seen on a date yesterday with none other than Marie Mjolnir, the former child star famous for her versions of showtunes from the 1920's.

Interestingly enough, her partner Franken also has a musical background as well, playing bass for several years over at The Ryleh, before the band broke up suddenly with Stein fading into obscurity after an electrifying show in which he was strapped into a makeshift Electric Chair. What happened after that performance is anyone's guess, but there's no telling what exactly caused Stein to quit so suddenly.

Rumors say that he became addicted to anti-depressants for years, before going to school to become a Pharmacist. Is it really that far-fetched that a former druggie would start to deal them legally?

This also begs the question, what exactly is Marie doing with him? Is he enabling drug habits for her? Is she in financial straits? She was practically stitched to him last night, but is she a willing party, or another victim of Franken Stein, formerly under allegations of abuse from Medusa Gorgon and her family of expert lawyers?

Don't get in the way of Mizune Media! ™

* * *

Stein's face had gone completely numb, and only after Naigus handed him a tissue, did he realize he had been crying.

"It's….not true…..not all of it anyway…" he said, choking out the words one by one.

Naigus sighed, and began to scribble out a note on her clipboard. She tore it off, and handed it to him, as he was wiping his glasses.

"Look, you're clearly in no mood to be here, just go home and come back later."

Stein's eyes narrowed, quickly focusing themselves on Naigus.

"No. Marie is coming right here, right now. Is that understood? She can't afford to suffer for my weakness. Please?"

Naigus's face softened, and began to check her watch, trying to decide if she could fit Marie in her schedule.

"Fine, go sit out in the lobby and tell her to come in. You can even take the magazine if you want, I don't keep garbage in my office."

"Thank you Naigus. I know we never got along well in school, and you don't really…"

She raised her hand to silence him.

"Take care of yourself, Franken."

* * *

"How'd it go? Will she see me?" Marie exclaimed, her apprehension well-worn on her face.

"Don't worry about that. Everything will be fine."

Marie began to walk towards the door, where a waiting Naigus put on her "Professional" face, and led her away into the office.

Stein slumped into the chair that formerly held Marie, with a dejected look.

He began to sing softly to himself what Marie was listening to earlier, as if it was an ancient incantation that would help to quiet the storm inside.

" _And I'm Walking on Sunshine….."_


	8. Got The Time

"It's so good to meet you. I'm a big fan of your work, and I'm looking forward to our conversation," Naigus said with a smile that reflected both admiration and professionalism. "It's not every day you get to meet your heroes, you know."

Marie blushed. "Thanks. So, what did you have in mind for me?"

"Lemme take a look, and I'll get back to you in a second." Naigus's eyes scanned over Marie's resume, when she noticed that she had never received formal education for veterinary practice. Without even a little education, her hands were tied. _However...Maybe there is something I can do,_ Naigus thought.

Naigus sighed and looked up to face Marie. "I'm afraid there's nothing much with what you have up to this point. Honestly, the best I can do for you is to allow you to shadow one of the other vets. Help them out, get their meds for them, you know what I mean? There will be pay of course, but it's certainly no living wage if you're by yourself." Naigus swore internally, wishing that there was something more she could do, but knowing how the restraints of Marie's resume worked against her.

"Well, I guess that's alright. I'm sure Azusa and I can find somewhere affordable, and Stein has already said that his lab is okay for us to stay until we find better arrangements…."

The look of surprise on Naigus's face startled Marie.

"Franken Stein is letting people spend nights at his lab? Mr. "I don't need anybody but myself" from college, Stein? I'm sorry if you think I'm being rude, but I find that kinda hard to believe."

"Well, Stein offered for me to spend the night when I came into town a couple of days ago. It was late and he was worried about me, so he walked me from The Ry'leh to his lab"

Naigus folded her arms in disbelief. "I have seen it all. First, that hothead Spirit gets a girl to actually like him enough to have a kid with, and now Stein is taking beautiful women home to his lab? Someone must have a real sense of humor up there, and is trying to give me a heart attack." She began to fill out the form, making sure her signature matched the one previous, so that it would look official.

"Now I'm going to need you to sign here," Naigus said, "so we can have you come in on Monday and start, if that's what you want…"

Marie snatched the pen with an impish glee, and began to sign with a sense of urgency, as if hit by a bolt of lightning. "Of course I want to! Thank you so much."

As she finished off her signature with a flurry of strokes, she ran out the door, with a smile stretched across her face that couldn't contain her joy.

Naigus shrugged, and returned to her computer and mountain of paperwork that needed her attention. Things didn't get done by themselves, and she certainly wasn't about to head home before she was finished.

* * *

 _Time Time, Tick Tick Ticking in my head_. Stein remembered the lyrics even though many years had passed since that first day he performed. Although they weren't very good and he missed his cues often, Stein recalled, Spirit was there to say "It could have gone worse, try not to let it get you down."

While he didn't find this attempt to cheer him up all that helpful, he understood what Spirit meant; nothing was perfect the first time, and experimentation would be required, both mentally and physically. From adjusting his slouch to trying to clear his frantic mind to prevent overreaction, everything was an instrument he could tune to his liking if he only spent the time needed.

* * *

Marie found her way back into the waiting room to find Stein pacing frantically and thinking about her interview; Stein wanted to be in the room where it happened, even though he knew the absurdity of that idea.

"Stein? You okay?" Marie exclaimed, a bit startled by his behavior.

Stein nodded, before taking out a handkerchief to dust off his glasses. He wiped them off carefully, before putting them back onto his face.

"I'm alright. Did everything go as it should have?"

"Yeah. Thanks again. I don't know what I would have done without you here."

Marie's eye wandered, just for a second, before she spotted the magazine in Stein's other hand.

"Stein, what's that? And why do you look like you've been crying?"

 _She saw through it. She's always looking through me. It's like she's some type of emotional X-Ray. I can't even hide basic emotions from her. Now what's she going to think of me once she's read this? I've been a damn fool._

Stein sighed _._ "Let's go outside. We have to talk."


	9. Alone

Marie made sure to close the door quietly behind them, and thought about grasping Stein's hand, but thought better of it.

"Alright Stein. What's wrong?" she said with a note of concern in her voice.

"Marie, I have to be honest with you, so please…hear me out. I haven't always been the man you think I am. Just see for yourself," Stein replied, handing her the crumpled up magazine that he was holding.

As Marie began to scan the article, her eye remained fixated on a picture of Stein, clearly in distress outside what appeared to be the home of the woman from The Ry'leh. In the background, it appeared to show the police escorting a small child away, with their pink hair contrasting the darkened city street with its brightness.

As she continued to read, her anger continued to rise. The article spoke of his past, the drugs, the rehab….Medusa. However, the story clearly appeared to take Medusa's side, and painted Stein as a junkie just looking for an easy way to get his fix. Every paragraph felt venomous; every sentence, profane. She raised her eye to meet Stein's, furious that someone would even consider writing about him with such vitriol. _Her name had been through a lot, she could take it. But Stein? It was just unfair, and she knew it_.

"Stein…..is any of this true?"

Stein flinched, bracing himself for the inevitable. _Great job, Franken. First girl you talk to in years, and as soon as you start to build a relationship, some amateur photographer and their staff manage to take it all apart. Now, where did I put those pills…?_

"It is. All of it. If you could just let me explain….."

Before he could continue his sentence, Marie pulled him into an embrace, Stein's body awkwardly draping over her petite form.

She held him close and, said to him "Stein, it doesn't matter to me what you've done. You're trying your hardest; just look at all you've done for Azusa and I, and we haven't even been here that long. You've gotten a new job, made new friends, and started a relationship with someone you haven't seen in fifteen years; you are not alone."

Stein wrapped his arms around her and held her closely, hoping that just once, time would stop for both himself and Marie.

"Marie….I….alright. I'll follow your lead on this one."

"Now that's a new one. You planning on standing out here all day, Lover Boy?" Spirit said, exiting the school and noticing their now very public display of affection. _This is strange_ , e _specially for Stein,_ Spirit thought to himself _. Stein would always fumble on attempts to show how he cared for people, choosing to keep to himself or make a well-intentioned pun that would earn him glares._

Stein relaxed his hold on Marie, and shot Spirit a derisive glance as he approached him.

"Spirit…." He replied, "What are you doing out here…Don't you have a class to teach?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Stein. I know you want to stay with 'Short and Sweet' over here all day long, but you've got class in ten minutes, and I can't cover your ass when it's not in your chair."

Marie smiled and said to Spirit, "Thanks for the heads-up. Hey Stein, I'll come over later, and we can talk more, or just hang out. Whatever you need."

"But Marie…." Stein stammered, his mind racing for something better to say.

"See you later, Franken."

And like that, Marie took off, in search of her morning coffee and a donut.

Stein shrugged, and reached for a cigarette. "Back to work, I guess," as he grabbed his lighter and trudged up the ivory stairs leading into the school.

* * *

"Welcome to Rumba Coffee, what can I get for you?" the woman behind the counter asked, her violet hair hanging in front of her face. Marie noticed that she had been up several nights, and the exhaustion was starting to wear her down, as evidenced by the rings around her golden eyes. "Blair? You work here? I thought you worked for the pizza place down the street?"

Blair's smile disappeared, to be replaced by a look that could only be described as pouting. "Well…..let's just say that you can't afford to live in this town on 'generous donations' and three bucks an hour, know what I mean? I really like working there, but you hafta do what you need to do, am I right?"

Marie nodded. "I suppose. I'll have a triple shot of espresso, would you please?"

Blair's eyes widened, horrified that anyone would choose something so heart-stoppingly strong. "Miss…..What's your name?"

"Marie"

"Yes…Miss Marie..." Blair continued, stumbling through her sentence. "What you're asking for is potentially unsafe, and I would have to advise against it. If you say that's what you want, I'm not gonna stop you, but you should know."

Marie chuckled. "I'm going to need it to get through this day, let me tell you. I'm going from here to the local furniture store, then to the grocery store, all before preparing dinner and setting up a nice evening for two."

"Alright, alright" Blair responded, her voice dropping to a soft, but nervous tone. "Is it that tall guy from the restaurant? He seemed like kind of a jerk, if you ask me."

"Everyone keeps saying that, but no one ever actually talks to him, they just say it. Even the tabloids somehow got a photo, and wrote a really awful piece about him."

Blair drummed her fingers on the counter, and began to prepare the coffee, humming to herself anxiously.

"And the worst thing about it, is that Stein would never say anything about it to anyone, he would just think it was all his fault, when really, those bastards over at Mizune Media are to blame. I mean, who goes and writes a story like that? Better yet, how did they get a photo? No one was even in the place…."

"YOUR COFFEE!" Blair shrieked as the cup she was filling fell out of her shaking hand and onto the floor of the café. As the brown liquid began to run onto the beige tiles, Blair shouted, "I'll be right back with a mop!" and "Please wait, I'll make you another one!"

As Marie saw her cleaning up in earnest, she thought to herself: _Poor girl. She's working two jobs, clearly has a hard work ethic, and she's not exactly the most careful with what she does. Maybe Stein could find her something better…ehh, better to not get him involved. He has more than enough on his plate. Maybe Spirit can think of something….._

Blair exclaimed with impish glee "All better now! Let me get back to your drink, thanks for your patience!"

Marie's mind began to wander and she thought about the magazine she read through earlier, and she just couldn't get her mind off that photo from the restaurant _. It was indoors, so no reporter could have possibly been lying in wait for us, but the angle of the photo doesn't make sense. It's too forward to have been taken in a booth or from the back, which means only one person could have taken that photo…._ "Blair?" Marie asked, masking her anger which was rising at a level that she herself found frightening.

"….Yes?"

"I have something I need to ask you. Don't lie to me."

"Ask me anything, sweetie! At Rumba Coffee, helpful customer service is always our top priority!" Blair responded, repeating the company phrase stapled to the clipboard on the wall.

"That photo in the newspaper this morning….did you take it to Mizune Media? It couldn't have been anyone else, you're the only one who could have taken it."

Blair's cheerful disposition soured into a deathly silence, and she hung her head low.

Dammit, she's smarter than I thought.

"….."

Marie felt her hand draw back, but as she pivoted to swing, she saw in Blair's eyes a glimmer of shame, and she aimed the punch into the counter instead. Feeling the blood dripping from her hand, she had one simple question on her lips, and it echoed throughout the room as she shouted…

"WHY?!"

* * *

Blair skulked away from her, and with tears in her eyes, found the medical kit. As she handed it to Marie, she kept her eyes facing the ground, unable to even look at the woman or her now-bloodied hand. As Marie wrapped up her hand, Blair sat down at one of the tables and began to monologue:

"It's…not like I wanted to cause any trouble for you two….I just needed the cash, and I know that Mizune Media offers easy money for photos. I get payed next to nothing at these dead-end jobs, but I have a little skill with a camera, so when I saw Franken Stein walk in with some beautiful blonde, it was too easy."

Blair pulled out her phone, and put the screen with the photo on the dusty countertop. "As he moved for the door, I took out my phone and grabbed a couple of pictures. I assumed that they would just post the photos with a caption about him actually having a girlfriend for once, I didn't think they would write a whole damn expose on his life!"

She sighed, and continued. "I actually went to Mizune Media this morning to try and get them to pull the article, but I didn't read the fine print, and there was nothing I could do." Blair began to sniffle, and as tears began to form, she spoke in an almost ethereal tone, her voice growing diluted from crying. "What was I supposed to do? I can't afford an apartment in this city, and I have no one to look out for me. I mean, Joe is great and all, but he's got a family, so it's not like a grown woman can just up and sleep on a married man's couch. As for the Mizune sisters, after Bianca died, none of the other sisters will even talk to me. We had a thing years ago, and they really didn't like me then either. But after she went…nothing…."

"STOP!"

"Mrs…Mrs. Marie?"

Marie glared, her eye fixed with a searing gaze; "I don't wanna hear anther word. You don't get the right to risk ruining a man's reputation and then give me some sob story as if that's going to make it okay. I understand why you did it, but that's no excuse. If you want to show that you have real remorse for what you did, prove it. Otherwise, we have nothing to discuss."

"But…" Blair said as she stared at Marie, her eyes barely visible through her disheveled hair.

"Have a nice day, Blair," Marie said, and headed out.


	10. Jaded

Spirit seemed to notice that either the day was getting longer, or he was going mad as he waited in his office for the school day to be over. As he sat behind his brightly lit screen typing up his thoughts on yet another career plan submitted by a hapless student who he was sure didn't want to finish the assignment, Spirit realized that he needed a break. He put on his headphones, and began to drum his fingers along the desk in time to the radio. He was so preoccupied, he almost jumped out of his chair by the sudden appearance of the enormous frame of Franken Stein in his doorway.

"Hey, Spirit. Have any time to talk?" Stein didn't typically stop by during office hours, preferring to talk to him afterwards on the walk back to his house. Naturally, this took Spirit by surprise, and he inquired about the nature of the visit. "Honestly, Spirit?" he said, taking off his glasses off. He continued, wiping his glasses as he spoke: "I want to do something nice for Marie. I'm not sure what, though. Could you help?"

Spirit furrowed his brow, and pondered Stein's predicament. "How about the Carnival? That's always a good time!" Stein adjusted his glasses, and smirked. "Spirit, she's my girlfriend, not my daughter. Maybe for Maka, that would be a good idea, but Marie? You'd think she'd go for it?"

"Stein, she's dating you, one of two things must be true; either she loves eccentric people and enjoys a good sense of fun, or she's the most absentminded person in the whole damn state. I know where I'm putting my money."

"Thanks for the help as always, Spirit" Stein remarked slyly, as he walked out of the office towards his classroom.

"Wait, Stein! I'm still bored!" Spirit whined, but Franken had already closed the office door behind him. "Dammit, now what am I gonna do?"

* * *

"Well, let's see how this goes….can't be any worse than my other plans for the night" Blair sighed and said to herself. She had grown bored of being single, and the girl on the dating app looked promising.

As she twiddled her fingers outside the movie theatre they were supposed to meet at, she saw her: A petite woman, with silver hair and a warm smile on her face. Blair plastered her best "happy" face on, and went up to talk. "I'm Blair, nice to meet you finally!"

"Hey! I'm Eruka. Wanna head in, show's getting ready to start, and I certainly don't wanna have to wade through all those people to find our seats!" she said with a hearty laugh.

Taking Blair's hand, they walked in together, found their seats, and settled in for the film. Blair found it hard to be jaded with Eruka's infectious laughter in her ears, and Eruka was thrilled to finally find someone who appreciated her bizarre sense of humor.

After the lights came back on, it was Blair who suggested dinner, much to Eruka's delight. They made their way over to the bar next to the theatre, and took up as much table space as a shared order of nachos would allow them. "Man, that was so much fun! What do we wanna do next?" Eruka blurted out loud.

"Next?" Blair said, arching an eyebrow. "I mean…if you wanna, of course." Eruka stammered, her face gradually turning the brightest shade of red.

"Of course I do, Eruka" Blair said, grasping Eruka's hands and staring into her eyes. "Any idea what you want to go next?" Eruka grinned, and said "How about a carnival?"


End file.
